Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has dismissed claims that she was on Bosasa’s payroll.
She was fingered as among the shareholders by former Bosasa chief operations officer Angelo Agrizzi in his testimony at the commission of inquiry into state capture.
But she said: “As far as I know, my brother held no shares in Bosasa”.
She said her involvement with Dyambu Investments, which Bosasa was once called, was a fact that she had never disputed, which Agrizzi had raised with limited facts.
“The new allegations are a desperate attempt to drag me into this controversy solely because of my family’s relationship with Ronnie Watson dating back to the 80s,” she added.
The Watsons are a prominent Eastern Cape family and speak fluent IsiXhosa.
Mapisa-Nqakula’s spokesperson, Joy Peter, denied she was ever on Bosasa’s payroll.
Agrizzi, who has previously said Bosasa boss Gavin Watson was close to Mapisa-Nqakula’s twin brother, Siviwe Mapisa, said he held shares in the company on her behalf.
Siviwe Mapisa also received luxury Cartier and Montblanc pens as well as cufflinks and watches from Bosasa, according to Agrizzi’s testimony.
Agrizzi previously identified senior ANC leaders such as International Relations and Co-operation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu and former National Director of Public Prosecutions Vusi Pikoli’s wife, Girly, as shareholders of Dyambu Holdings.
According to Agrizzi, Bosasa boss Gavin Watson gave Siviwe Mapisa and the post office’s former chief executive, Maanda Manyatshe, expensive gifts.
Mapisa-Nqakula has previously dismissed claims that she was on Bosasa’s payroll.
She was fingered in former Bosasa Agrizzi’s testimony at the commission for being among the company’s shareholders.
But the minister said: “As far as I know, my brother held no shares in Bosasa”.